Manage your subscription

Europe's trees still dying

2 December 1989

TWO reports published last month appear to refute the notion, held by
some European scientists, that the mysterious death of Europe’s forests
might be starting to slacken.

The European Commission reported that 14.7 per cent of all trees in
a large sample taken across Europe were damaged in 1987, a percentage which
fell to 12.8 in 1988. The difference, however, was accounted for by improved,
wetter growing conditions in 1988, said the commission. It reported serious
damage to trees in Scotland, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and
Greece. West Germany, in its annual assessment of the problem, reported
that 53 per cent of its forests show signs of damage.

The percentage of trees that are seriously damaged increased slightly
from 15.1 last year, to 15.9, with increased seriousness noted especially
in beeches, and in trees over 60 years old. Georg Gallus, the parliamentary
secretary of the West German finance ministry, which made the report, blamed
increased automotive pollution, and pollutants from outside West Germany,
for the damage.